We honour the incredible coffee farmers and agronomists.
Nespresso couldn’t exist without the devoted farmers who help craft our Grand Cru coffees. Each is supported by an agronomist, an expert in sustainability and production who helps improve crops.
We started the Nespresso Sustainable Quality Farmers Awards to thank them for their teamwork and commitment to the environment.
Each year we select a stand-out farmer and agronomist team from nine different countries, all members of our Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program.
Our winners receive a trip — usually to Nespresso's home in Lausanne, Switzerland — where we celebrate our “Hall of Famers” and connect over our shared love of coffee.
Meet just a few of our heroes:
Farmer
Alejandro De Felipe Rendón
Agronomist
José Rafael Hernández Marini
Farm
Tlaltepan (El Cerrito), part of the Ixhuatlán del Café cluster of farms in Mexico
Why nominated
Alejandro was one of the pioneers of the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program in 2005, when he was just 27 years old. The youngest of eight brothers, he encouraged each of them to join. He’s always cared about doing what’s necessary to increase production and coffee quality, while respecting the environment.
Farmer
Marco Aurelio Alonzo Aguirre
Agronomist
Desiderio Valiente Reyes
Farm
La Primavera & Anexos, part of the Huehuetenango cluster of farms in Guatemala.
Why nominated
For almost 10 years, Marco Aurelio has worked with the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program. He was one of the first producers to make important changes on his farm, and he’s made a strong commitment to the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, for example planting different trees, representing the community locally, helping to build schools and roads, and helping to bring electricity to other farmers. Desidero started first as an intern and due to his hard work became a local agronomist. During his 10 years working with the program, Desiderio has created a strong bond with the producers he’s trained and has created a small group of agronomists and interns in the region as well.
Farmer
Miller Hurtatiz Ortiz
Agronomist
Luz Andrea Cano Ruiz
Farm
La Primavera, part of the Huila cluster of farms in Colombia
Why nominated
Year after year, the team has shown a high level of commitment to the program. Because of Miller’s commitment he’s recognised locally as a successful producer. His farm is a community example and he’s also actively participating in building roads for his community. He’s now a role model for those who have just joined the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program in the region, also coming to the local school and sharing his story as a coffee farmer. Luz Andrea is practically another member of the Hurtatiz family, she’s worked with them for more than six years and is now very close to their farming activities.
Farmer
Tintin Uhan
Agronomist
Imas Suryati
Farm
Palempar, part of the Ciwidey cluster of farms, Indonesia
Why nominated
Tintin is a local Indonesian woman and leader of the local group of almost 50 Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program farmers. She’s shown the way to other women wishing to enter or develop in coffee farming. To be able to explain to other farmers the correct moment to pick coffee, she helped create a red bracelet which was the colour of a ripe coffee cherry. The group of farmers informally came together in 1977 when people volunteered to help stop forest fires in West Java and they called themselves Sunda (Indonesia) Hejo (green). Their concern for nature led them to coffee, as they felt they could protect the forest by implementing agroforestry. And it worked. Imas is also part of this group and has helped bring English to local schools and communities. That way they’ll be able to communicate with coffee buyers and pass on their knowledge.
Farmer
Luis Fernando Quispe Lopez
Agronomist
Antero Flores Mego
Farm
San Pedro, in the Villa Rica cluster of farms
Why nominated
Why nominated: Luis Fernando has made great progress choosing the unique varieties of his coffee plants, the exact right distance between plants, preventing pests and diseases, shading systems and soil preservation: which is how he was able to obtain the Rainforest Alliance certification. Antero is very proud of being part of the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, as he sees that farmers have been able to implement more practices related to high-quality coffee.
